United in the Thirst for Knowledge & Beer

THE ASCENT OF THE PASTRYARCHY

You awake to the melodic chime of the belfry ringing out through town square. The once-soft thudding rhythm of hoof to earth changes cadence to a sharp 'clip-clop-clip-clop' of cobblestone as your horse-drawn caravan enters the city gates. You pull back the canvas flap of the carriage and shield your eyes as they adjust to the resplendent light reflecting from the marble walls that tower toward the heavens.

Ciceronia; the last stronghold of the known world, a shining beacon of hope for all mankind in the Kingdom of Hazemourn. As you enter the grand marketplace your caravan lurches to a shuddering halt. You leap from the carriage and make your way towards a homely looking tavern marked with a tattered grey sigil above the door. After eighteen harrowing months of questing, you've finally arrived at "The Whale's Brother."

You strain to focus in the near darkness of the tavern; the humble surroundings are a stark contrast to the pristine walls of polished marble just outside. Warily, you approach the bar. Tomish the Barman, a long-bearded dwarf, grunts an introduction with a pour of grog as dark and brooding as the tavern itself.

You bring the tankard to your nose and take several short sniffs, as tradition dictates in this fair land. A rush of aromatic, exotic spices whips through your nostrils. With the first sip, an intoxicating mélange of cassia bark, vanilla, and spirited bourbon dances across your palate. As The Oracle foretold; this was indeed an elixir of incomparable magnitude.

With an ear-splitting crackle, a flash of white light blinds the room and a hooded figure appears in the dark tavern. Every hair on your spine stands as the ominous figure steps toward you, pulling back an emerald hood to reveal herself as Ilindsandra, Tamer of Eventbrite and infamous Troll Slayer.

“It isn’t safe here,” she warns you, forebodingly. “We must make haste and leave this pla-“ Ilindsandra is cut short as the tavern door crashes inward with a deafening SLAM! A roaring mob of heavily armored orcs pile into the tavern, brandishing bludgeons and bloody keyboards. To your left, Ilindsandra begins reading from the fabled Tome of Terms and Conditions, filling the room with the violet glow of ancient Eff Five magic.

Suddenly, the click of flintlock catches your ear. You whip to the right to see Tomish brandishing a heavily patinaed musket, snarling like an enraged Manbearpig -- the time has come to fight for you life: ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!

Try your hand at the Whale's Brother Tavern's

Toffee-Drizzled Cinnamon Pull-Apart bread

We're diving deep today, folks, so take an arcane knowledge test and prepare to enter the wizarding world of baking! Or, if the thought of making your own brioche makes you fail your will check, substitute a can of Pillsbury Grand Buttermilk Biscuits to spend less time in the kitchen and more time adventuring with your party!

The sauce

The final blow

Once the sugar has dissolved into the melted butter, add the condensed milk. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Boil the mixture for approximately one minute until it forms a thick caramel toffee.

Pour the toffee sauce over your finished pull-apart bread.

#LEVELUP and garnish with candied pecans or toasted chopped walnuts!

The Pairing

My quest in creating this new food and beer pairing was to encourage group interaction -- specifically around a tabletop with my fellow Pathfinders! Cinnamon-sugar and butter create a praline-like caramel that is absolutely incredible when paired with pillowy brioche.

The toffee sauce adds another layer of gooey depth, and the rich, bourbon heat of Roll for Initiative provides a pleasant contrast to temper the sweetness. Even if your party wipes at the hands (or more appropriately; eye tentacles) of a Beholder, any brave adventurer is sure to have an epic time slaying this perfectly drizzled Toffee Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread alongside a flagon of Roll for Initiative.